Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy is entitled to “the majority of his unpaid salary” from the Premier League club, a judge has ruled.
The France international, who was charged with rape and sexual assault in August 2021, took City to an employment tribunal to claim about £11m before tax in unpaid wages after he was suspended without pay from September 2021 until he left the club in June 2023.
Last year Mendy was cleared of a series of rape and attempted rape charges.
Judge Joanne Dunlop ruled that City were entitled to withhold Mendy’s salary for the periods he was in custody, which amounted to about five of the 22 months he was not paid.
In a statement on social media, Mendy said: “I am delighted with the decision and sincerely hope that the club will now do the honourable thing and pay the outstanding amounts, as well as the other amounts promised to me under the contract, without further delay, so I can finally put this difficult part of my life behind me.”
A Football Association suspension meant Mendy, who was on a basic salary of £6m a year, was unable to fulfil his contractual obligations when not in custody.
Judge Dunlop said: “I found that Mr Mendy was ‘ready and willing’ to work during the non-custody periods, and was prevented from doing so by impediments (the FA suspension and bail conditions) which were unavoidable or involuntary on his part.”
She said the amount Mendy will receive will be calculated between the two parties or at a future hearing if they cannot agree.
Mendy, who joined City from Monaco in a £52m deal in 2017, won the Premier League in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
